Global cruise industry to adopt new safety measures
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Three policies to be introduced after IMO meeting
Cruise lines are to adopt three new policies following a safety review by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council (ECC). The new policies will address issues related to passage planning, personnel access to the bridge and lifejackets ‘which go beyond the strictest of regulatory requirements’.
Recommendations from CLIA and ECC, made by ECC chairman Manfredi Lefebvre, said each ship’s passage plan is to be drafted by a designated officer, approved by the master and be thoroughly briefed to all bridge team members well in advance of implementation. To minimise disruptions on the bridge, bridge access will be limited to those with operational functions during periods of restricted manoeuvring or when increase vigilance is required. And in addition to the statutory requirement of carriage of lifejackets for each person onboard, cruise ships will carry additional adult life jackets beyond the legal requirement. This ensures that the number of lifejackets carried is far greater than the number of persons actually onboard the ship.
CLIA’s panel members for cruise ships safety have been named as Mark Rosenker, former chairman of the United States National Transportation Safety Board and a retired major general; Stephen Meyer; admiral Royal Navy, retired former commander of a number of Royal Navy ships; Dr Jack Spencer, former head of UK Marine Accident Investigation Branch and Willem de Ruiter, former head of the European Maritime Safety Agency.